Airport remains in limbo without any keen taker to operate commercial flights
MELAKA: Melaka International Airport (LTAM) at Batu Berendam has hit a brick wall as seven airlines are not keen to operate commercial flights there despite the state government offering them special incentives.
State works, infrastructure, public amenities and transport committee chairman Datuk Hameed Mytheen Kunju Basheer said earlier negotiations with the airlines had failed to yield positive results as all seven were not interested to take up the offer.
“There are no takers yet, but we are still harbouring hope that at least one of these airlines would respond before the deadline expires on Oct 30,” he said yesterday.
Hameed Mytheen said the incentives were extended to local carriers as well as those from Indonesia and Singapore since last month.
“However, not a single one of these airlines has shown enthusiasm to operate at LTAM despite the good deals offered to them during our series of meetings.
“The carriers cited low passenger volume on normal days and high operating costs,” he added.
Hameed Mytheen did not rule out the possibility of a second round of offers to the airlines with additional incentives to woo them to operate flights in and out of LTAM.
“I will discuss these additional offers with the Chief Minister (Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh) and try to offer better incentives based on an anticipated increase in tourist arrivals in conjunction with Visit Melaka Year 2024,” he said.The state government has offered the incentives in an effort to revive LTAM by bringing back commercial flights.
On Sept 5, The Star reported that there were no longer commercial flights at LTAM, raising concerns among local tourism players. LTAM had witnessed two local airlines ceasing operations in August, citing lack of passengers and inadequate planes.
The airlines said their flights in and out of LTAM lacked the desired number of passengers during off-peak periods and that the operation costs were high.
These airlines had also decided to use their planes to serve more lucrative routes with the last flight from LTAM to Penang ceasing operation in June, and to Pekan Baru, Indonesia, stopping on Aug 16.
LTAM was first built in 1952 and bears historical significance when the first prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman landed at the airport on his return flight from London on Feb 20, 1956, to announce the date for the independence of then Malaya.
The new terminal of the airport was completed in May 2009 and it was renamed LTAM in accordance with its international status.
During its glory days, LTAM witnessed frequent direct flights to and from Penang and Pekan Baru, and even Guangzhou, China, that was operated by China Southern Airlines.
China Southern Airlines stopped chartered flights to LTAM at the end of 2016 while other airlines gradually ceased operations as well.
LTAM has also been used as the base of a flying academy since 1987.
